Local researchers have turned up an interesting connection between autism and obesity in children.

Teams at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania, and six others centers found that kids with developmental delays, including autism, were up to 50 percent more likely to be overweight or obese.

And the more severe the symptoms, the greater the chance of being obese.

Doctors don’t know yet why these kids become overweight. It could be due to endocrine disorders, side effects from medication, picky eating, or other factors. Click here to read the rest of the story.

People with disabilities, now the largest minority group in this country, are largely misunderstood by business leaders, managers, and well, a lot of people. And at the same time, C-suite executives are actively looking for ways to remove disability bias and lessen the employment gap. But disability advocates say the research and statistics on people’s understanding of the disability community are still dismal. How do we meet in the middle? How do we have the tough conversations that will inspire both sides?
How can we all go the extra mile? Click here to read the rest of the story

Developed in 1985 by Andy Bondy, PHD and Lori Frost, MS, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) allows individuals with little or no communication the ability to do so using pictures. The approach includes a person giving them a picture in exchange of an item. PECS teaches functional communication and includes 6 phases.

How to communicate. In the first phase, the individual learns to exchange a single picture for an item or activity they want.

Distance and persistence. The individual learns to generalize by using the picture with different people.

Picture discrimination. The individual learns to select from two or more pictures to ask for something.

Like this:

When an individual with a developmental disability becomes an adult, Guardianship is something you should consider. In many States, the law will see the individual as an adult able to make decisions on their own. If you have a child with a disability who many never have the ability to make legal decisions on their own, the following information are links on guardianship and what you need to know about them.

Like this:

A generalized seizure, formally known as a gran mal seizure affects both sides of the brain, and starts in all parts of the brain at the same time. About 25 percent of people with epilepsy have generalized seizures. It affects all ages, socioeconomic and racial groups.

There are 4 phases of a generalized seizure:

Prodromal. This is the first phase where an early sign may include a group of symptoms hours or days before the seizure including depression, difficulty concentrating, headaches, insomnia and mood changes.

Aura. Typically, an aura occurs from a few seconds to a few minutes before the arrival of the seizure. Signs may include blurry vision, buzzing, ringing or an abdominal sensation.

Tonic-Clonic. This is the phase where the whole body is affected. The body begins to stiffen and the person loses consciousness and falls. This is followed by a violent uncontrollable shaking. During this phase, the person may have difficulty breathing, an inability to swallow, may drool and begin to sweat.

Postictal. Occurs at the end of the seizure, common signs include confusion, anxiety, depression, embarrassment, fear, memory loss, upset stomach and sleepiness.

There are 6 types of generalized seizures:

Absence (Petit Mal). It occurs throughout the entire brain beginning and ending very quickly. The person becomes unconscious with a blank stare. It may appear the person is day dreaming.

Tonic-Clonic. When the body stiffens and shakes. usually last 1 to 3 minutes.

Clonic. When a person has a muscle spasm in the face, neck and arms may last several minutes.

Tonic. The muscles in the arms, legs and trunk are affected. Usually last less than 20 seconds.

Atonic. the muscles go limp and can cause a person to fall or head his or her head if they are standing.

Myoclonic. Muscles suddenly jerk. The electrical impulses are strong enough to throw a person to the ground.

What Causes Epilepsy with Generalized Seizures?

Possible causes of epilepsy and seizures include:

genetics

a change in the structure of your brain

autism

an infections of the brain, such as meningitis or encephalitis

head trauma

a brain tumor

Alzheimer’s disease

a stroke, or a loss of blood flow to the brain resulting in brain cell death

congenital conditions, including Down syndrome or tuberous sclerosis

First Aid For Tonic Clonic Seizures:

Call 911 if:

The person has never had a seizure before.

the person has difficulty breathing or waking after the seizure.

The seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes.

The person has a seizure back-to back.

The person is injured during the seizure.

The person has an additional condition like diabetes, or heart disease.

Steps

Ease the person to the floor.

Turn the person gently onto the side (this will help the person breathe).

Clear the area around the person of anything hard or sharp

Put something soft and flat, like a folded jacket, under his or her head.

Loosen ties or anything around the neck including button on a shirt.

Time the seizure.

Familiarize Yourself With The Warning Signs

Each person is different. Typically warning signs of a seizure may include:

Loss of consciousness

Stiffening of the body

Jerking of limbs

Slight twitching

A loss of awareness

Do Not:

Do not hold the person down or try to stop his or her movements.

Do not put anything in the person’s mouth. This can injure teeth or the jaw. A person having a seizure cannot swallow his or her tongue.

Do not try to give mouth-to-mouth breaths (CPR). People usually start breathing again on their own after a seizure.

Do not offer the person water or food until he or she is fully alert.

After the seizure:

After the seizure ends, the person will probably be groggy and tired. He or she also may have a headache and be confused or embarrassed. Try to help the person find a place to rest. If necessary, offer to call a taxi, a friend, or a relative to help the person get home safely.

Don’t try to stop the person from wandering unless he or she is in danger.

Published By: Sheffield Hallen University
Written By: Dr. Luke Beardon

Some employers assume that because a person is autistic they will also have some kind of learning disability. This is absolutely not true for the majority. Autistic adults display a range of intellectual abilities – as do the predominant neurotype (PNT) (non-autistic) population – from low IQ to members of Mensa.

Here are five more misconceptions about autistic people in the workplace – and why they’re not true. Click here to read the rest of the story

Studies show that most accidents occur in the home. There are a number of factors that increases this number in a residential setting. For example, Staff are responsible for providing care to more than one person and the may also be responsible for a number of other duties including, preparing dinner, giving out medication and working on performance goals. Given these factors, it is vital that attention and skill is given during bathing time. One minute away, could lead to a disastrous event.

The following is a training curriculum that serves to train staff (Direct care Professionals) on bath safety. I have included the lesson plan also in a PDF format and a demonstrative checklist. Once completed, staff should be able to show their competency level in bathing an individual safely. This training also satisfies and supports Core Competency 5 (safety) and Core Competency 6(Having a home).

Title: Bath Safety Training

Description Training:

This module is intended to provide direct support professionals with principles and strategies which will assist them in the preparation, supervision and assistance necessary to ensure the safety of people with developmental disabilities. The first section focuses on identifying and evaluating required staff supervision. Section 2 includes the responsibilities of staff during bathing time.

Learning Objective(s):

Demonstrates steps to ensure all necessary bathing items are in the bathroom before preparing for bathing time.

Evaluate the level of supervision needed

Define the characteristics of a burn

Distinguish temperature for bathing vs. showering

Identifying the process of bathing residents to ensure the process is safely carried out.

Explain the risk for people with disabilities

Maximum Group Size:

Training segment 10- competency portion should be conducted one person at a time.

Blooms Taxonomy:

Remember

Understand

Apply

Required Employees: Direct Support Professionals

Materials:

Handout

Handout

Competency test

Competency

Training: 1 Hour

Objective 1: The participants will be able to explain bathing risk for people with disabilities

Lecture:

The trainer will begin this session with a brief introduction on the magnitude of the problem regarding accidental deaths, bathing injuries including scalding. In your own words, please say the following:

Studies show that after the swimming pool, the bathtub is the second major site of drowning in the home including residential settings with seizures accounting for most of the common causes of bathtub drowning.

The National Safety Council reported that one person dies everyday from using bathtub in the United States. That more people have died from bathtub accidents than all forms of road vehicle accidents.

Injuries from the bathroom included slipping and falling when entering or exiting the bathtub or shower.

A study concluded by the State University of New York State found bathing difficulties included maintaining balance when bathing and making transfers.

Inform participants the following:

Near-drowning happens very quickly. Within three minutes of submersion, most people are unconscious, and within five minutes the brain begins to suffer from lack of oxygen. Abnormal heart rhythms (cardiac dysrhythmias) often occur in near-drowning cases, and the heart may stop pumping (cardiac arrest). The blood may increase in acidity (acidosis) and, under some circumstances, near drowning can cause a substantial increase or decrease in the volume of circulating blood. If not rapidly reversed, these events cause permanent damage to the brain

Ask – How much water does it take to drown?

Answer- inches of water in the bathtub. Any amount of water that covers the mouth and nose.

Who is at -risk?

Tell the participants the following people are considered high risk for accidents and drowning in the bathtub or shower:

Older people

Residence with a history of seizures

Residents diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer

Residents who require assistance or supervision for mobility, transfer or ambulation.

Lack of understanding of one’s own physical and cognitive limitations.

Scalding

The trainer will introduce the segment on scald burns. Tell participants that individuals with physical, cognitive and emotional challenges are at high risk for burn injuries due to mobility impairments, muscle weakness and slower reflexes. Further explain that, sensory impairments can result in decrease sensation in the hands and feet with the resident not realizing the water is too hot.

The instructor will discuss the following handout:

Time and Temperature relationship to Severe Burns

Water Temperature

Time for a third degree burn to occur

155° F

1 second

148° F

2 seconds

140° F

5 seconds

133° F

15 seconds

127° F

1 minute

124° F

3 minute

120° F

5 minutes

100° F

Safe temperature for bathing

Objective 2: Define the Characteristics of a Burn

In this section, the trainer will give the definition of a burn, Explain to participants that a burn is damage to the skin and underlying tissue caused by heat chemicals or electricity.

Further explain, Burns range is severity from minor injuries that require no medical treatment to serious, life-threatening and fatal injuries. Further explain that burns are categorized by degrees. Have participants turn to the handout on burns.

Superficial (first degree burns)

Causes : sunburn, minor scalds

Generally heal in 3-5 days with no scarring

Characteristics;

Minor damage to the skin

Color- pink to red

Painful

Skin is dry without blisters

Partial thickness (second degree) burns

Damages, but does not destroy top two layers of the skin

Generally heal in 10-21 days

Does not require skin graft*

Skin is moist, wet and weepy

Blisters are present • Color – bright pink to cherry red

Lots of edema (swelling)

Very painful

Full thickness (third degree) burns

Destroys all layers of the skin

May involve fat, muscle and bone

Will require skin graft for healing*

Skin may be very bright red or dry and leathery, charred, waxy white, tan or brown

Charred veins may be visible

Area is insensate – the person is unable to feel touch in areas of full thickness injury

*Except for very small (about the size of a quarter) full thickness burns will require a skin graft to heal. The patient is taken to the operating room where all the dead tissue is surgically removed. Skin is taken or harvested off an unburned or healed part of that person’s body and grafted or transplanted to the clean burn area. In seven to 14 days, this grafted skin “takes” or adheres to the area and becomes the person’s permanent skin. The donor site (where the skin was harvested from) is treated like a partial thickness burn and heals within 1- to 14 days.

Objective 3: Identify the process of bathing residents to ensure the process is safely carried out

The trainer will discuss the importance of following the appropriate steps when giving a resident a shower:

When escorting a resident to the bathroom, the following items should be gathered and taken to the bathroom:

Washcloth/bath sponge

Towel

Body wash/soap

Body lotion

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Mouthwash

Hair shampoo

Hair conditioner

The trainer will remind participants not to leave the participants in the bathroom alone under any circumstances for those requiring supervision.

Annual awareness observances are sponsored by federal, health and non-profit organizations. Awareness campaigns serve the purpose of informing and educating people on a certain causes. Each year, the number of special needs organizations bringing awareness to specific disabilities and disorders seem to grow. Awareness activities range from one day to a month. Here is a calendar of major special needs awareness months, weeks, and days. Most websites include awareness toolkits, promotional materials and fact sheets. Since it is still early in the year, some of the campaigns still have 2018 campaigns on their websites. I will add new information once the changes are up on the websites.

Social anxiety and autistic traits are prevalent in males with fragile X syndrome and these behaviors overlap with those observed in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) without a known genetic syndrome, a study reports.

The overlap of traits between the two clinical subgroups makes their measurement extremely challenging, researchers said.

The study, “Biobehavioral composite of social aspects of anxiety in young adults with fragile X syndrome contrasted to autism spectrum disorder,” was published in the American Journal of Medical Genetics. Click here to read the rest of the story

Individuals with developmental disabilities have a greater chance of being impacted by the cold weather. for example people with disabilities are at a higher risk for hypothermia. Hypothermia is defines as a condition in which the body core temperature drops below the required temperature for bodily functions. Here are 5 tips on winter safety:

Register with the Special Needs Registry for Disaster. This allows residents with disabilities and their families and caregivers an opportunity to provide information to emergency response agencies so emergency responders can better serve people during a disaster. The information is shared with local, state and federal agencies.

For people using a wheelchair, make sure to wrap a small blanket around your legs by tucking it underneath the chair. This will help to maintain body heat.

Wear multiple layers of clothing including a scarf around your neck, a winter hat and two pairs of socks.

In the event of a winter storm, make sure your home is stocked with flashlights/batteries, non-electric can opener, bottled water, extra blankets and a first aid kit.